Mourinho was in typically defiant form at Friday's pre-match news conference, though, issuing a reminder he has won eight league titles across spells at Real Madrid, Inter and Chelsea.

"Did you read any philosopher or in your formation you never spent time reading, for example, Hegel?," Mourinho asked one reporter.

"Just as an example, Hegel says the truth is in the whole, it’s always in the whole that you find the truth."

Mourinho famously described himself as a "Special One" at his Chelsea unveiling back in 2004, a bold claim he backed up with Premier League titles in his first two campaigns.

But Spurs fans mocked Mourinho on Monday, singing "you're not special any more" at the Portuguese, who was quick to reference United's FA Cup semi-final victory over Mauricio Pochettino's side.

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"They didn't have that song when we beat them at Wembley a couple of months ago," Mourinho said.

"It was for a cup final they had a big dream to go to - a title they had a big dream to win because they don't win many - in that night at Wembley the United fans were singing 'the Special One' and of course they [Spurs supporters] were not singing that."